Completed [The Bronze Woods] A Due Promise (Razkar)

[Fubuki Kouri]

Fubuki Kouri With a gleeful childish smile mixed with a psychopath's grin, Kouri spun her chakrams at the sight of those ugly earth-men. She couldn't care less about the tortured boar, she had done similar things, only that her kills were mostly quick and painless... the latter might need some clarifications. Razkar and Ama were visibly disturbed and aching to exterminate those demons. Change the "disturbed" to "exhilarated" and you got the ghost girl. She cracked her neck and prepared to charge when... *ROAAAAAAAR!!* A terrifying roar made her wince and her chakrams stopped spinning due to sheer surprise. What came next made her eyes widened.... in fear, as much as that hard to believe. Kouri thought the six-armed thing that Ama spoke was like a normal man, only with six arms, but that clearly wasn't the case. That monstrosity was huge, muscular, deformed limbs and claws... and by Morwen, what's those two glowing... things on its hands? "A...ah...a..." A whimper escaped the ghost girl's lips. She flew down to avoid being seen and... hid behind Razkar like he was her shield from that six-armed monster. Ama cocked an eyebrow when she saw the quivering ghost girl, finally acting like the little girl she was for once. She looked back to Razkar, back to Kouri, and the finally to Razkar again as if saying "Er... what happened?" "R-raz...razkar... I'm uh... I'm... ehe... t-that... thing... looks... s-scary..." It may need for some persuasion from Razkar's part for her to overcome her fear and perhaps realized that six-armed Yukman couldn't finally do a thing to her.

[Razkar]

She really does choose the absolute worst times to remember she's a child...

Despite the ravening horde below them, Razkar actually rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath when the quasi-demonic shade "eep'd" and then fled behind him like any other little girl. Even her chakram were shivering like frightened puppies instead of spinning death given their own strange power.

Ama snuffled her confusion to his side and Razkar grunted as if he understood.

Then again, you didn't have to be an acolyte of the Green Goddess.

"I know, I know, give me moment."

The Myrian turned to the girl and knelt down, putting a hand on her-

"Hsss, fuck!"

-right, right, he forgot that part. Contenting himself to fix her with a solid stare, he spoke, voice just above a whisper.

"Fubuki? Monsters down there? You think maybe... five, could kill me?" A moment's thought and then she shook her head, eyes still wide and frightened. "Maybe... ten?" Another shake, but her brow began to furrow, sheer curiosity overriding her fear. "How about twenty? That do it?"

A shrug. Well, nice to know he had his limits. Then he smiled, showing her those sharp chompers and pointed dead at her.

"Twenty? Hmm? Twenty demon for one Myrian... and Myrian you beat in two ticks!" He leaned back triumphant... of a sorts, smile strained and deciding that he'd need to swear Ama to silence after this was over. Then again, Fubuki would never shut up, so he was petched either way. "So, what have you in fear of them?"

She seemed to... bloom, in front of him. No, wrong word for a ghost. Swell. Bolster. Some of her manic confidence returned, little by little, and-

"YUKYUKYUKYUK!!!"

-not a moment too late.

Razkar's head whirled and he locked eyes with a screeching creature, misshapen maw wide and horrible, grinding screech issuing forth. Within a tick every pair of eyes had snapped in that exact direction. Razkar felt a slight twinge of unease through the steady pulse of cold rage.

One in many. All in one. What one learns and sees, they all do. When one becomes stronger, they all do. Like a... hive.

No time left for plans, or speeches, brave deeds or complex strategies. Razkar raised his bow without a word, tring pulled back to his cheek by the time he sighted down the arrow, aimed low at the creature's gut-

"For you, mother."

-and he loosed-

-arrow flashing across the hundred feet or so between the two groups and broad head tearing into the creature's chest. The enraged cry became a howl of agony, shortbow's power sending the shaft and it's vicious head plowing through ribs and organs. It fell back into its brethren, mortally-wounded-

-but they were already stampeding over it-

-six-armed giant bellowing, spittle flying as it pointed with both its blades, charging through the horde-

Razkar's hand moved fast, on his knees, fresh arrow notched by the time the first truck creature had fallen back.

Notch. Raise. Draw. Aim.

Four actions, three ticks, one breath to steady his aim-

Loose!

-another arrow caught a charging creature low in the gut, making it stagger, trip-

-trampled beneath the desperate horde, finally finding some victims worth the sport, better targets of their endless raging hate than the dumb beasts they'd been slaughtering for bells. Like a filthy tide they loped onward, a great mass of reaching claws and pumping legs, bent and broken in places, stone and flint glinting in a thousand places-

Notch. Raise. Draw-

The tide surged closer and Razkar fired low, barely bothering to aim. There was no chance he'd miss, not at this range, and he saw the arrow take a creature in the leg, sending it crashing down again. They didn't even slow. No fear, no hesitation, but no concern for their comrade, no... thought.

They exist to destroy, and destroy what exists.

"No more."

Razkar of the Shorn Skulls tossed his bow to one side and drew his blades, steel singing as they were released from their leather prisons. He felt the Malediction runes on the hilts tremble through his hands, dark djed pulsing through his body-

-necklace against his chest practically snarling with the bound spirit of that Night Lion from Riverfall, unearthly growl ripped from his throat-

"Fubuki, use steel," he snapped, stench of the monsters beginning to roll over him like rotting meat and fresh dung, "Not play, girl. Kill fast, kill many. Ama, use light. Blind monsters."

Even those words cost him, Yukmen sprinting closer, but he did not care. He breathed deep, black eyes wide pools of disgust ... and his gnosis... roared. Far from Falyndar and under different, sparser trees, still the eyes and wrath of Myri were with him. Tendrils of pulsing djed coursed through his muscles, lending him that speed and strength he would need to assail his foes.

His lips peeled back and his face contorted in hate, throwing his arms forwards-

"FOR MYRI!"

-and Razkar charged into the tide.

[Fubuki Kouri]

OOCAh... sorry for my previously mediocre reply. I hope this one compensates for it. "Uuuh.... uuu... uuu..." The little girl, that's right, not with double apostrophes this time, quivered and shook behind the Myrian's body. Peeking just ever so slightly to look at the giant six-armed earth demon before retracting her head and closed her eyes in fear. She even instinctively materialized herself to seek shelter by absorbing Razkar's body warmth, the Myrian hissed in protest and he moved away a bit from her, Kouri kept following him and was about to hug him when he turned around, knelt down, and instinctively put his hand on her materialized shoulder... which was immediately pulled away due to the frost touch. "F-five... e...eh..." Five of those naked ugly creatures? Kouri could see that they looked stupid and... unorganized, except for that one Yukman so... if Razkar meant five of those ordinary monsters then of course not, he was much much stronger and experienced to be defeated by five stinky poos. Kouri shook her head, but she was still afraid... what about that one? The boss! Razkar and Ama could be killed... and... and she could be as well, rationality was in short supply in her fear-ridden mind. "Ten?" Kouri pondered for a few ticks longer at the second statement, but she had seen Razkar in action. Ten stupid creatures still couldn't defeat him, right? Harm him, maybe... but definitely not utterly beating him. She shook her head, with less quiver this time. "T-Twenty..." Now that, even Kouri could see that was a tad bit too much, but she wasn't really sure and she was reluctant to offend the Myrian, strange considering she held him at a life and death situation just about a bell ago. She opted to shrug instead, expressing her incertitude. "Twenty? Hmm? Twenty demon for one Myrian... and Myrian you beat in two ticks!" She wasn't really sure on what he meant, but his next statement vanquished all lingering fear, doubts, and hesitation within her. "So, what have you in fear of them?" "Y-yes! Yes! You're right! Ahahahahaha! They can do nothing to me!" The usual manic grin began plastering itself on her face as her chakrams whirred to life. Kouri giggled maliciously and turned her body to face the Yukmen horde. Ama seemed to breath a sigh of relief, losing the ghost girl's help could prove fatal for both of them... especially with that six-armed mockery of an Eypharian around. Then, the battle was joined. "Aaaaaaaaahahahahahaha!!!" With a blood-curling cackle, the phantom launched forward to the Horde, chakrams whirring like metallic harbingers of death. She heard Razkar's command about not playing around. Kouri unmaterialized herself and phased her body through the horde, slicing and dicing the Yukmen as she went. "Ei!" She extended her right hand and a chakram went to a Yukman's neck, utterly sawing it until the head flew off from his neck. She extended her left hand and another chakram sawed a Yukman's waist, causing numerous puncture wounds. "Hehehehahahaha! Uhuhuhuhu~♪" Sadistic glee filled her ethereal form, she didn't even care on what particular Yukmen she butchered, the wet sounds of cut flesh was an enough indication of how effective her attack was. Some of the Yukmen tried to surround the lethal white phantom girl, but to their dismay, their claws and jaws just went through her as if she was air "Let's plaaaaaaaaay! PLAAAAAAAAAAY!!!" Kouri then suddenly clasped her hands together and all of her chakrams flew back to her, slicing and dicing Yukmen as they returned. Then... her plethora of daggers combined themselves into one... one whirling metallic ball of death with sharp steel and cold iron surfaces, it was like a much deadlier version of a morning star weapon. "Take this!!!!" She bowed and the metallic star of death stabbed a Yukman's chest then she clenched her right fist to command the deathstar, it rolled on its body causing numerous fatal puncture wounds and lacerations. Kouri then violently pulled it and began her work of butchering every Yukman around her. Ama was assisting Razkar by causing blinding flashes of light, staggering the rest of the charging horde. She knew she was better staying with the Myrian, even though he looked savage, it was still much better than assisting the lethal ghost girl... who didn't need her help in the first place, heck, she could even be stabbed and sawed by that flying daggers of hers... Kouri looked even more detached from control and rationality than the Myrian, utterly betraying their appearances. The Six-armed Eypharian then limbered forward, knocking down a Yukman and swung its massive arms, all six of them, at the Myrian. It looked intelligent enough to pick what looked like the leader of its enemies. Ama howled to the Myrian as if saying "You'll handle the giant! Me and Kouri can take on the rest!. With that, Ama snarled and charged forward, taking on the rest of the Yukmen, distracting them from Razkar and luring them to the giggling ghost girl.

[Razkar]

OOCOh, shut up, woman. That was a surprising and innovative little twist that I enjoyed.

Free. Free again from the shackles, and he felt the song rise to a crescendo within him. A wall of shrieking pseudo-flesh surrounded him in a blink; fanged, clawed, furious and hateful. But the Myrian roared back at them with a wordless cry of rage-

The first fell from two blows, outstretched arm cut off at the elbow-

-ax that followed it nearly decapitating it, but certainly crunched though its spine, dropping it to the ground instantly-

-as another launched itself at Razkar from the other side, seeking to catch him off guard-

-the Myrian lashed out with his foot between its legs, twisting on his pelvis as he did, creature doubled over in pain-

-gladius thrusting cleanly into the space between its left shoulder and its neck-

-metal driving deep-

-slicing through flesh, fat, veins, lung, heart-

-it coughed back effluence over its own feet as Razkar ripped the blade free, and then it died.

Two loomed in front of him, charging, no concept of "one-on-one" in their vocabulary, reaching for him with filthy clawed hands, one of them swinging a makeshift tree limb-

-Razkar jerked up his gladius to the Yukman on the left, stopping the club-

-hand ax sashing down to bite through Right's thigh, beast screaming as the curved, malediction-worked blade obliterated its kneecap at well, driving it down in agony-

-gladius sweeping in from the side, horizontal blo that slashed open Right's throat, sent it reeling back with a fountain bellowing blackness as it died-

-a roar, and outraged cry-

-and Razkar's hand ax struck the opposite direction, burying in Left's ribcage from the left side, iron grinding on bone, slicing through makeshift demonic organs-

-but it roared, didn't want to die, didn't know how to, hated with its's-

-last-

-breath-

-until Razkar yelled and slashed upwards with his gladius, slicing through the club-

-the hand-

-jaw-

-face-

-and that final spurt of breath, colored with pitch spots, became a gurgle as the faceless Yukman toppled back to join the dead. Of which, the Myrian realized, there were many.

"Hehehehahahaha! Uhuhuhuhu~♪"

Fubuki was clearly having the time of her life. Razkar stole a moment to find his companions, and saw the tiny, ghostly figure almost dancing among the horde, an impossible sight, so dainty and joyful surrounded by monstrous examples of twisted mankind.

Until he saw her blades at work; he arms twisting and flapping like the conductor of some silent orchestra.

The chakrams dived and flew and sliced and decapitated and Razkar swiftly stopped trying to keep track of how many had fallen to them. He even gave her a jealous grunt when questing hands tried to grab her and-

Nothing. No purchase, no victory.

"Let's plaaaaaaaaay! PLAAAAAAAAAAY!!!"

No chance-

-as she shriek again and called her blades to her, laughing and giggling as the hurtling metal eviscerated all those around her. Razkar left her to it, noting with pride that for all her childish joy, she was sticking to the plan.

Whatever her chakrams touched, died. Quickly.

"WOOF! WOOF!"

With each deep, bass bark came a flash of light, but not enough to blind Razkar. He whirled and saw Ama, in wolf form, her hair on end, furious and vengeful, barking at a nearby clutch of Yukmen-

-and with every bark, a radiance seemed to blast from her mouth and eyes-

-Yukmen screeching and clutching their faces, primitive minds sure that they must have been set on fire, world become a blur at best and burning darkness at worst-

Razkar didn't need an invitation. With another blood-soaked cry, he threw himself at the clutch and laid about with gladius and ax. Thee fell without a fight, butchered by swift blows from the two weapons, throats slashed, chests ripped open, one falling sans cranium, stump spurting whatever Yukmen had that passed for blood.

The rest reacted on smell and rage, slashing and snarling madly at their unseen enemy. It didn't save them.

Their claws could rip through thin armor and Razkar had seen the demons rip an arm from a socket to use as a bludgeon... but all that strength meant nothing with skill and, oh yes, eyes. The first slashed at his head and he ducked, gladius thrusting into its stomach as his legs bent, and as he shot back up, his gladius followed-

-tearing a vertical gash in the monster's torso-

-intestines spilling out, writhing like blackened snakes-

-the creature toppled, stuttering its ungodly tongue-

-another rushing headlong at Razkar, arms wide to tackle him-

-but the Myrian twirled to his left, dropping low year again, ax coming around in a backhanded blow at knee height-

-no, knee location-

-the Yukman's, actually, slicing clean through it with its unnatural strength-

-Tackler's roar becoming a disbelieving whine that sent the few brave or stupid birds above them scattering for higher branches-

-cut off when Razkar's gladius struck his head off his shoulders-

-before twisting back to his left, right arm coming up-

-punching a charging, blank-eyed Yukman in the face with his fist, once-twice-thrice, driving it back as he mashed bones and bloodied his own knuckles, granting him a few feet of space as the beast staggered back, confused-

-enough for his ax to sweep down diagonally between them, burying in its torso at the collarbone, momentum keeping it going-

-smashing ribs like kindling, sternum like a clam shell-

-and it fell, effluence that Razkar could not even begin to describe leaking from its shattered body as it did, and the Myrian smiled, laughed, wondered what could possibly stop-

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!"

Ah. Yes. That could do it.

Seven feet plus of angered, challenged, multi-armed muscle stomped towards him, shaking the very ground. With every step a fresh deluge of mud and dirt sloughed off its grainy skin, looking more like dried sludge than flesh. Six armed lined its torso, the bottom ones shrunken and malformed, twisted into lizard-like vestigial claws, as if it had burst from the ground without waiting to be fully made.

But the swords it swung, long and curved like the blades of the desert people, looked real and finished enough.

Even as the creature bellowed its challenge to Razkar, the Myrian found a moment to... frown. Wait. They Earth Demons were parodies of the creatures that lived on the earth above where they spawned. The ones in Falyndar resembled Myrians, those here humans... so what in the name of the gods was an Eypharian doing here? And why did it have weapons an Eypharian would carry, hundred of leagues from the sands-

Then the thing roared and struck.

No time for reflection, boy!

As Ama bounded off to aid the ghost, the towering leader of the horde swung at Razkar, first from his left, all its arms lashing out, the top ones tipped with that glowing, singing blade-

-that left a white ghost-trail through the air, blade burning even as Razkar stepped back quickly to avoid steel and claw, feeling the heat from it-

What by the Goddess-

-then the other three hammered towards, him, thrusting forwards to disembowel him with clutching fingers and a humming steel, three arms aimed at his stomach, torso and the steel at his throat-

-Razkar slid to his right, gladius whirling in his hand, a half-circle under the thrusting arms as he move, coming up at the creature's side, slashing as he kept turning-

-hacking off the lowest arm on the monster's left at the wrist, black blood hissing into the breeze now whipping through the Woods, monster screaming-

-then roaring as Razkar kept up his momentum, but added his ax to the ballet, swinging low, aiming for its thigh-

It dodged him. His shock at seeing the lumbering creature move impossibly fast and smooth, sliding its leg out the way and then stopping his ax with a clang of steel on steel nearly killed the Myrian-

-for then the other foot lashed out, catching him in the chest-

-sole nearly as long at Razkar's forearm hammering into her sternum, sending him staggering, falling-

Roll with it! Adapt! Don't let the creature dictate the battle!

Letting himself fall, letting his shoulders take the impact as he crushed dried leaves and fresh dirt under them, tucking his knees up to his chest, momentum keeping him going, going-

-a backward roll away from the Eypharian, or what was trying to be one, feet planted on the dirt and weapons coming up as he right himself-

-a silver flash through the air-

-and he roared as scimitar met gladius, the latter held at an angle, parrying the former away-

-just as a clawed fist hammered towards him-

-and Razkar slid back, hacking down with his ax at the offending limb-

The Yukman chief roared and howled and bellowed as the ax hit home, shattering the fist, bloody white bones and useless strings of muscles exploding from the useless hands, swinging again and forcing the Myrian back-

"YUKYUKYUK!"

Most of its underlings were busy with the ghost and the Kelvic, but two at least were hanging on the sidelines, rushed Razkar in their haste to seek vengeance for their leader. One came in fast but clumsy, swinging wide, obvious blows with its claws-

Razkar swayed away from the first, gauged the creature, waited for the backhand blow-

-that would leave its chest open-

-then swung his ax clean through its ribcage and slashed its through with his gladius, then kicked the already-dead monster away-

[size=150]"NRRAAAAAAHHHHH!"

That came from the Eypharian, and Razkar's eyes widened as he saw the bleeding, furious creature lash out with savage disdain at the Yukman loping past it, fixated on the panting Myrian-

-burning blade ripping through its torso like paper, bisecting it like an insect under a machete-

-before turning those burning coals back to Razkar, cold and implacable hatred and lust for destruction stark in them, and he understood. It would not be denied its prize.

The Myrian spat out a gob of blood and spittle, growled back and maintained his stance.

He did not add the skulls of Yukmen to the spiraling circle of worship on his back, wherein was the record of all slain by him. He took no scalps from them, either, just made sure they were dead and burned them like dry wood. Because they were not enemies or opponents as he understood the terms.

To Razkar, they were insects. Pests. Abominations. Monsters and blights on Caiyha to be obliterated, not even given a warrior's respect.

But this one...

The Eypharian growled and gripped its weapons harder. Razkar could see the glowing etches on the blades now, so bizarre and alien. Not Common, not Myrian, and the Yukmen had no language... Eypharian, perhaps? Older?

No time, and he didn't let that stop him a third time. When the beast charged, Razkar's steel was there to meet it with a cry to Myri.[/size]

[Fubuki Kouri]

"Kyaaaaahahahahahahahaha!!" *SQUELCH!!* *STAB!!* *CRUNCH!!* Psychotic giggles combined with the sickening sounds of torn flesh and muscles erupted from the middle of the dwindling Yukmen horde. Only about ten of them were left, the rest? Mostly mutilated by Kouri's daggers and some by Razkar's blade and ax. Ama was in the supporting role, focusing to stagger any Yukman to keep them around the manic little girl or stopping any Yukman from doing flank attacks to the Myrian. "Isn't this fun?! Fun is it, no?! Of course it's fun! AAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! It's like playing tea parties, Madame Ama! Only with warm crimson tea!" The ghost girl half-spoke to herself and half-spoke to Ama. The dire Kelvic just winced in disgust and... pity at the same time, what kind of cruel fate befell this little girl to make her into such a demon in a child's body? Ama knew she couldn't do much to change the ghost's psychology, after all, who could stop her? Kouri could kill her and Razkar with just snap of her tendrils... perhaps someday, a powerful Spiritist would be daring enough to confront the little girl and spank her into obedience. "YUK YUK YUK YUK!!!" The six-armed monster has had enough, this two-armed insect was obviously defeating it, it howled and called for help. The rest of the Yukmen immediately abandoned the ghost and Kelvic, heading to assist its Alpha. "Huh?! Hey! Wait! I still want to plaaaaaaaaay!" Kouri shouted to the Yukmen as if they were willing to "play" with her in the first place. She cursed and decapitated a Yukman first before making chase. A worried look on Ama's face as she realized Razkar would be surrounded by at least ten Yukmen, including the leader. She also dashed forward, but her position was lagging behind, the Yukmen would reach Razkar first unless the ghost girl acted. As the remaining Yukmen horde arrived and surrounded the Myrian, the alpha immediately used the opportunity to strike at the Myrian with its remaining arms, it would most likely hit however... "Stay away from him!!" Kouri immediately appeared beside the Myrian and pushed him away with all her might using two normal tendrils (serrated ones would cut Razkar up, obviously), causing the Yukman to miss him and harmlessly phased his hands through Kouri's body. "Ehehehe..." Her crimson eyes suddenly glowed brighter as her deathstar arrived at her side and separated themselves into two greater chakrams made out of eight daggers. "DIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" With her command, two of the daggers separated themselves and fatally stabbed the six-armed Yukman in the eyes, she then twisted it around while commanding her two chakrams to utterly saw the Yukman's neck. Blood, flesh, and dirt flew everywhere as it screamed and gurgled in extreme pain. Eyes sockets violently punctured and neck on the brink of taking off from its body. "DOES IT HURT?!! DOES IT HUUUUUUUUUUUURT?!!!" Kouri didn't pay attention to Razkar at the moment, she was sure he could handle ten ordinary stinky poos and Ama would help him anyway. OOCSorry if I steal your kill.

[Razkar]

"You... STUPID GIRL!"

Fubuki's head snapped around in shock but by then the Myrian was already moving, rage stamped across his face, knowing he didn't have the time to shout and yell at the tiny specter. The remaining Yukmen showed no fear, no hesitation, even with the death of their leader. In fact, it just seemed to make them more wild, and they threw themselves at the Myrian and the Kelvic with animal howls.

Good.

Ax and gladius were now running, dripping with black blood, oozing down hilts and blades to soak Razkar's hands. Battle lust, thick and undeniable, was coursing through him now from the Malediction-worked gladius, but for the moment, he was in control. It was like... being in the eye of a hurricane, but take a step left or right-

And it would sweep you into oblivion.

The first he sidestepped past, slashing claw missing his face as he swayed back, burying his ax in the thing's guts, feeling a sickening tide of bile and fluids gush over his hand as the thing's stomach was ripped open-

-gladius flashing down vertically to take it's head off as a second came from his left-

-slamming the hilt of the gladius sideways into its face, feeling a crunch of bone that birthed a feral grin on his face, Yukman staggering back-

-follow-up swipe from his ax smashing its ribcage open, then a backhanded blow from the curved, humming ax slammed into its neck, yet more Malediction runes giving it strength, power-

-enough to take its head off, just in time to see a third lunge at him from the front, and Razkar raised his arms-

-only for a white mass of fur and fang and claw to engulf it with an enraged growl, gleaming white teeth ripping out its throat even as they went down in a flurry of fur.

Razkar turned to the others, even as Ama got her footing back, pure white fur now stained and ugly with sprays of black blood. Without even a pause she bounded away, impossibly fast to biped eyes, and leaped again-

-this time low, and clamped her jaws around the contents of a Yukman's crotch, then ripped it away with ease.

Even Razkar winced.

His gnosis pulsed on his neck as he threw himself into the rest of them, six remaining Yukmen surrounding him within moments but he was heedless, fearless-

Joyous.

Praise be to Myri!

Still smiling, he laid about himself with his blades. A rusty sword was swung at his ribs and he parried it down and away from him with his gladius, then reversed his parry to thrust it deep into a Yukman's stomach, ripping it open-

-ax swung backhanded at one to his side, slashing off a hand before he hacked down vertically, shattering another kneecap in a spray of blood and bone-

But leaving his front open, another pair of creatures charging close, roaring-

-as he roared back-

-slamming his forehead into the face of one, smashing its nose into its brain-

-not before the other slashed his deep across the chest, red lines deep and dirt-covered appearing across his chest. The Myrian howled as he staggered, hacking low and horizontal, taking the left leg at the shin of the one who'd i injured him-

-but the crippled one, missing a kneecap, flung itself at his back, claws digging into his skin as its head reared back, teeth glistening like sharp stones in the light above, ready to bury into Razkar's-

-nothing, because Ama tumbled into all of them, knocking Yukman and Myrian to the ground, Razkar instinctively slashing at the first foot he saw, belonging to the staggering Yukman with his nose nearly in its brain-

-bringing it down, slamming his ax vertically into its chest, burying it in there, too deep, petch-

Fuck!

He couldn't pull it out. Inches behind his head he heard the Ukman roar and gurgle and screech, mingled with Ama's frenzied growls as powerful canine jaws ripped apart everything from the neck up on the Earth Demon. But its claws still ground and ripped his toughened hide, he rammed his elbow back and back until its grip loosened.

But his ax was useless, buried in the ribs of a corpse. Two more Yukmen loped closer to their downed prey, and the one missing a kneecap dragged itself closer, leg hanging by a gory thread utterly ignored, black eyes that dripped with malevolent rage proof to the Myrian that rage was a wonderful painkiller. The Myrian snarled, thinking fast-

Fuck it!

-rolled away from Ama and the dying Yukman, leaving his a where it was, coming up to his knees just as the other two arriving-

-swiping sideways with his gladius and taking the left leg of one, then rolling back away from the second, dodging under the swipe of its ragged claws-

Grunting. Wincing. Slashes in his chest biting at him like a swarm of wasps, red blood coursing down his chest.

Not yet! Not until it's over!

He came up on his feet, still crouched, final running Yukman with its arm raised high, determined not to miss again-

-as Razkar's left arm cocked back and thrust out, gnosis making the metal seem to blur in the eyes of Ama and Fubuki, right arm snapping to the hilt of his kukri-

-and the Yukman stopped dead, rage turned to shocked pain as the gladius impaled it straight through the chest, Razkar rising before its feet even stopped moving, ripping his kukri free-

-slashing upwards in an arc-

-spraying black arterial blood over his chest and face as he opened its throat-

-then bellowing his own agony as it sunk its teeth into his shoulder, one final act of mindless vengeance, grinding, gripping, tearing-

-until Razkar ripped his gladius up, disemboweling the monster from navel to sternum, shock to its cobbled-together nervous system finally making the beast gasp, mouth loosening-

-Razkar twisting away, body spinning one-eighty to the Yukman's right side as it fell-

"FOR YURTA!"

-gladius flashing down to take the monster's head off, painting the leaves black, mouth still twitching as it fell several feet from the body, rolling, coughing...

Ama was busy with the last two ripping and tearing at the helpless, flailing monsters, powerful jaws making quick work of them. One was already still, throat laid open, but the second cocked back an arm to rake its claws across the black-and-white wolf's back as it ripped its guts out-

-then there was an impact. A jerk that Ama felt even through the creature's body. The wolf looked up as the Yukamn coughed, fell forwards...

...revealing the kukri buried in its back, and Razkar swaying on his feet, arm still outstretched, maybe a dozen paces away. The body fell with a thud, and then... eerie, empty silence.

Razkar looked around at the dozens of bodies, most ripped apart cleanly by Fubuki's evil blades. Almost as many as his whole clan's War Party had managed to slaughter, she had done by herself. But he saw plenty felled by his own hand, by Ama's jaws... and then he saw the hideously mutilated Eypharian-

-and his rage came back in a red blur.

"Do not... ever-" he shouted at the floating, stunned ghost like an angry father, pointing with his gladius "... do that to me again! Not interfere with Myrian in battle! I fight leader, I kill-"

"Razkar!" Goddess, he was so angry he didn't even notice the shimmering flash as Ama rose again, naked flesh as spattered with blood as her fur had been."She was helping you! Ten others were running for you when you were fighting the leader, they would have overwhelmed you-"

"You not know that-"

"I know that five nearly did!" Ama shot right back, blood still up from the battle and not in any mood to take shit from a petching hunter in her Woods, even if he did just aid her. "They would have swamped you, and that was without them having four arms and swords! Now don't yell at her!" Razkar blinked in shock and then she added. "... not for this, anyway..."

For a long, odd moment, Myrian and Kelvic squared off, not the ghost. The being that was the cause of his stand off, the one who could kill them both as you would swat a skeeter, was simply floating to the side... until Razkar finally let out a loud, angry breath.

"... fine." He shuffled and looked as awkward as men always did when the momentum of righteous indignation was choked off. His black eyes skittered around angrily and finally he pointed at Fubuki again. "But next time-"

"Gods, just petching apologize already!"

The words came out in a sullen mutter and Ama was stunned anew at how even matchless warriors and hardened killers could be such fucking children sometimes.

"... I sorry I yell."

"Was that so hard?!"

"Yes!" Razkar spat out the word and resumed his stomping over to the fallen Yukman Alpha. "Going to see petching swords..."

OOCNo, you're not.

[Fubuki Kouri]

Fubuki Kouri Kouri didn't heard Razkar's cries of protest as she was completely immersing herself in decapitating the alpha yukman. After much buzz-sawing with her twin greater chakrams, the head finally came clean off from his neck and landed with a thud on the ground, foul liquid flowed like an open faucet as its body fell backwards and slammed the ground. Kouri also violently ripped her two daggers that were lodged inside the Yukman's eye sockets and joined them with her greater chakrams again. "Ehehe~ All done~♪" She flicked her hair, the very long ethereal white strands billowed like a large flag. Kouri turned to face Razkar and Ama only to find... Razkar pointing his sword at her, destroyed bodies of the previous Yukmen horde behind him. "A...what?" Kouri skipped back a bit and raised her hands slightly, much like a surprised little girl. "I uuh... b-but-! I..." Everytime she wanted to speak, Razkar cut her off with angry remarks about not interrupting him in battle and all that crap. What was his problem? Razkar went angry when she almost killed him, that she could understand; but form him to be angry because of her saving his life was so utterly confusing, even to the simple childish mind of hers. What... how rude?! How... so... that... he's so ...so savage! Well, he is, Kouri. The ghost girl floated away and sat on top of a nearby small hill, hugging her knees and dropping her chakrams at her side, fuming in anger and annoyance at the ungrateful Myrian. It was a good thing her sadistic urges were satisfied by the Yukmen... lest she could lose control and actually murdered the Myrian. "Dummy... big bald dummy with lots of stupid paints..." She mumbled under her breath, her crimson eyes glistening with childish anger. She looked... rather adorable that way, with her cheeks puffing up and her chin covered by her knees. She didn't even reply to Razkar's forced apology and just turned away with a "Hmph!", cheeks still puffed up. Ama literally clutched her temples, shutting her eyes, and muttering something under her breath, most likely a prayer to Priskil, trying to act mature amidst these children, one ethreal and one man-child. She opted to approach the ghost girl while the Myrian did... whatever he was going to do, the good thing was the horde was exterminated... now all that's left was to burn their corpses. "Dear..." Ama sat down beside the lethal girl, keeping an eye on the daggers on the ground just behind Kouri's back, glistening black with Yukmen blood. Unlike most beings, the phantom girl didn't actually need to use her arms to pick those up... those ghastly tendrils were at fault and now she apparently could create a new type of them, those even more ghastly serrated tendrils. "Well uuh... Razkar didn't mean what he said... he's just... you know... excited to be in a battle, he's a Myria-" "Don't know! Don't care! Hmph!" This would be a very long and tiring day for the dire kelvic indeed.

[Razkar]

They didn't even take the light right; Razkar was sure of that. When he held up the shimmering blades the sunlight that cascaded off them was... off. Like it was striking the steel and reflecting off it a second too slow. Or was it too fast? Or was there simply more of it than there should have been?

He did notice they shone even when the light did not touch them, and the Myrian shook his head.

"Well... a nice bonus, anyway."

He stood and hefted the twin blades in each hand, heedless of the decimated Alpha corpse next to him. Once to terrifying and threatening, now it was just... meat. Not even that, to Razkar's eyes: meat you could at least eat, and he'd rather sock down rotting eggs than take a cutlet of Earth Demon.

The weight... it was... impressive. The blades seemed so thin, delicate even, but in his hands they were balanced and even, reassuring in their mass in a way that let the Myrian know instinctively that they could cleave bone and body like...

Like you'd just seen.

Ama watched him move, testing his trophies. Slashing and hacking at invisible enemies, scimitars flashing eerily. Or one, anyway. One seemed to be crafted from fire bound to a blade, glowing and leaving white trails in the thin light. The other seemed to hum and sigh with every blow, though whether or not it was in approval or mourning, she could not tell.

But the Kelvic knew such blades were not merely banged out on some Sultros anvil. She saw the runes etched onto the sides, hammered in with exquisite care along the length of each one. And when the Myrian wove his metal dance through the air... she almost saw the runes held in place, flashing around him like insects... and then vanishing.

"Impressive, yes?"

Razkar turned to her and nodded, so taken with his prizes that he didn't bother with the ire he felt for the wolf-woman.

"Beautiful weapons." His words came out as a loving whisper, eyes roving over the swords. "I think were buried under ground. When Earth Demon come out from earth... heh... way out they dug? Was same way as where blades were. Fates are strange, hmm?"

"Will you keep them?"

"Yes." The Myrian proved his point by sliding the long, curved swords into his belt and making sure they were secure... but then a sighing grimace marred his features. "But first? Burning."

Ama nodded sagely back, hardly relishing the idea of dragging fifty ripped apart bodies into a pile and then setting them on fire. It would take bells, and she would need to stay all night, just to make sure the orange-and-red beast didn't spread.

"Well... might as well start."

"Yes, I..."

The Myrian took a handful of steps, each one with a little more stagger than the last, before he finally crashed down to one knee. The ugly bite on his shoulder was weeping blood, the scratches and gashes on his chest weren't weeping; they were positively gushing, wailing, mourning and grieving with an ocean of crimson. Razkar looked down at himself more in annoyance, but felt that steady, listless throb of exhaustion.

"But... first...?"

"Yes, yes, yes," Ama fussed like a mother hen, rolling her eyes as she helped the Myrian to his feet, scouting a useful root to use as a pillow for him. "First to patch you up..."

[Fubuki Kouri]

Fubuki Kouri "Ah, this root will d-" "Ehehehehehehahahahaha...." Ama did not like that girlish giggle, it was filled with naughtiness, but not the usual amount you would expect from a little girl, it was more like you take a little girl's giggle and doused it in a pool filled with Rhysol's own essence. She looked behind her and unsurprisingly, she didn't find the previously sitting ghost girl, only her daggers were there. "Soooo... Razkar~" Kouri appeared next to the wounded Myrian and coyly walked to him while keeping her hands behind her back, swaying her body from side to side as she took her time in approaching him. "Ehehe..." She then extended her right hand, materialized herself, and trailed her right index finger on the blood trail that was trickling down from his shoulder wound, giving her usual debilitating frost touch. "I think I did the most work here~ I should get something, rrrright~♪? Something... useful... something like... ax~ Ehehehehe~" Razkar could obviously see that the mischievous girl was demanding him, the high-pitched girlish nature of her voice only made the ultimatum even more jarring. "Ehehehe... ehehehahahahaha~♪" Ama was not surprised, she was expecting this. To show any amount of emotion would only goad the ghost further, besides, Kouri was right, without her, they would have to retreat and further devastation would be inflicted upon the Woods. She just approached Razkar casually and put down the medicinal herbs she gathered, letting the Myrian handle this behemoth of a little girl.

[Razkar]

Razkar supposed he should have been partly-grateful for the icy touch of those tiny fingers; at least is was better than the throbbing pain from the bites and scratches. But as usual, all he felt was that icy, repulsive block in his stomach that roiled and twisted as he listened to Fubuki's inane words...

"I think I did the most work here~ I should get something, rrrright~♪? Something... useful... something like... ax~ Ehehehehe~"

... well, perhaps not that inane, but either way.

"Enough, girl."

Ama's jaw nearly dropped when Razkar's other hand snapped out and slapped the suddenly-solid hand away from him. Fubuki's expression was pretty close, but the Myrian had survived too much to be either impressed or intimidated by some dead female's demands. The Kelvic's eyes bored into him, though, a silent, urgent warning.

And he felt the air crackle and his around Fubuki, almost imperceptibly... maybe it was his wyrd feeling it, not him? Possibly. Either way, he'd angered the child, and this child could lay waste to companies.

"Not give ax." He said firmly, applying some of the moss to his shoulder, wincing as he pressed the moist fungal sponge into his livid, angry wound. "Told you before. Gift from mother. OnLy give when die."

Wrong wording, he thought fatalistically. Razkar's eyes flickered around and kept falling on bodies, Earth Demons ripped apart by those evil spinning blades, bones snapped and shining like-

Bones.

"But..." the Myrian put up a finger and pointed to the desiccated Alpha "... would Fubuki still like... pretty dagger...?"

"Pretty". One more thing to hold against the psychopathic shade. But, shade or not, and vicious or not, she was still a little girl.